WHEN Rosemarie Utley started jogging to get fit after having children she had no idea that decades later she would join an exclusive club for top athletes.

But that's exactly what the 58-year-old accountant from Otley will do if she completes her 100th road marathon in Sydney, Australia next month.

Mrs Utley will be joined on the trip by her husband, Jeff, with all the flights and accommodation paid for by her employers for the last quarter of a century, Watson Batty Architects, of Guiseley.

Mr Utley, 62, is also a keen runner - although he has had to cut back since having a hip replacement - and will be attempting a 9km run over Sydney Harbour Bridge on the same day, Sunday, September 21.

He said: "Rosemarie's actually done 102 marathons but three of those were not the official road marathons: two were ultra marathons, which are 50 miles, and one was cross country.

"She's already a member of the 100 Marathon Club, which is quite exclusive. There are only five or six ladies on that list and she's one of them!

"But this one in Sydney will be her 100th proper because it's on the road, which is more important to some people "It should be a great trip and it's all courtesy of Rosemarie's firm, who are paying for the flights and accommodation in recognition of the work she's done for them over the last 25 years.

"They obviously think a lot of her and that's a really nice gesture which we appreciate."

Mrs Utley began jogging a few years after having twin girls, Sandie and Louise, but soon got a taste for more serious running. She started running full marathons in 1983, when she beat her brother in the IV Para Marathon at Tockwith.

She went on to complete scores of marathons across the UK and on the Isle of Man, as well as races in Paris, Venice, Malta, Amsterdam and Berlin.

It will be early spring in Australia when she attempts to once again conquer the 26-mile, 385-yard challenge and her husband is confident that temperature won't be an issue.

Mr Utley, who looks after the IT systems for Park Lane College's Otley and a Horsforth offices, said: "The marathon starts at 7.15am so it will avoid the midday heat. The run goes over Sydney Harbour Bridge and finishes up at the Opera House, so it's quite a location.

"We started running quite late in life really. Rosemarie started out by jogging to get fit a few years after having our girls. I think her first race was the Otley half-marathon and it moved on from there.

"I started a good ten years after that but gave up when I had a hip replacement done a few years ago. But I think I'll still be able to do this 9km fun run which takes place after the marathon. I just wanted to be doing something with her on the day.

"We're going to fly out mid-September via San Francisco, and then on to Sydney and we're coming back via Hong Kong, where we'll spend a few days, so it should be really nice."

Joint managing director of Watson Batty Architects, Paul Ryan, said he and his colleagues would be cheering on Mrs Utley come September 21.

He said: "We are paying for the trip in recognition of the 25 years of service Rosemarie has given us as our in-house accountant.

"She's collected up an awful lot of runs now, more than 100, although this will be her official 100th, and we're always very pleased to support her. We'll be keeping a close eye on how she gets on in Australia."